HOROSCOPE

(August 5 Friday)

Venus Change-Up If the Venus change-up rocks your boat, just remember that there are very positive things to be done with so- called “negative” emotions. The trick is in channeling feelings like anger and sadness in a way that makes the most of them while processing them through our lives. A little anger or sadness can aid in making certain judgment calls.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Pursue what you need if you know what that is. If not, let your feelings teach you as they pull you in surprising ways. They are trying to clue you in to what might lead to joy and fulfillment.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You have experience in controlled chaos and will be the one in charge of looking out for your people while they try to complete a mission, have a little fun and/or get inspired. Your awareness will make all the difference.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your beliefs are essential to your daily actions, habits, attitudes. Have you figured out which one is getting in your way? Poke around in your own systems and thoughts. Bring your beliefs into question. One needs to go.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Review the last four weeks. What worked and what didn’t? There’s a chance to quickly and easily step out of an arrangement that’s simply not going to get you where you want to be.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). If you can travel, do it. If you can’t, then reading, movies or high-quality conversations with people who’ve lived in places foreign to you will work almost as well to ignite your passion.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). When you understand your own feelings, you understand the feelings of others. Taking a moment to ponder your own emotions this evening will help you be a good friend later this month.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The people you know expect you to behave in a particular way, but you’re in a mood to try something new. This will be much easier to pull off in a crowd that doesn’t know you yet.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You’ve given a super-star performance, and you’re ready for a break. When the attention is diverted from you, you’ll consider it a pleasant change and a chance to relax.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You see no harm in making another person feel good, even if it means laying it on a bit thick with compliments that aren’t exactly well-deserved. Of course, the closer you can stick to the truth, the better.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). A lot of workers never get thanked for their contributions. So when you turn this around by acknowledging those who help you, you build confidence, morale and loyalty at once.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Empathy is the first step. Then again, what’s the point of knowing how another person is feeling if you don’t know what to do about it? Don’t worry. You’ll learn from others today and gain emotional intelligence points.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’re in an action-oriented mood so you’ll set goals and look for ways to keep doing better. You’re committed to taking initiative. You have no idea how inspiring you are to those around you.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 5). You’ll manage your fears, take a leap and make a change this month. In September you’ll win a contest. December brings the chance to team up with friends for fun and profit. The end of a term will come in 2017 and you’ll be free to launch into a new adventure by March. Dividends will come in August. Capricorn and Aquarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 30, 1, 18 and 45 WEEKEND LOVE FORECAST:

ARIES: Love is understanding and respecting the power dynamics that the other person plays by.

TAURUS: If it’s difficult for both partners to stick to the rules, maybe you’re playing the wrong game. GEMINI: The lack of passion in platonic love can only take you so far down the relationship road.

CANCER: You’ll realize the depth of your love because of how much you miss the other person.

LEO: You prefer to be in love with someone who loves you back but it’s too early to tell at this point.

VIRGO: Everyone makes mistakes. You’re more likely to forgive the ones you understand (because you’ve made them yourself a few times).

LIBRA: Loved ones admire you for taking on the unpleasant bit of business and just getting it over with.

SCORPIO: Your self-care tells the other person how to treat you.

SAGITTARIUS: The one who loves you deeply doesn’t have to make a random guess as to how to make you happy, because he or she has been paying attention.

CAPRICORN: Just because you know how to make a relationship work doesn’t mean you want to.

AQUARIUS: Pettiness is for people who aren’t in love.

PISCES: Cross your fingers and go forward with all the confidence you can muster (fake or not).